Circular enclosure for a shower



July 2, 1968 J. w. MOORE CIRCULAR ENCLOSURE FOR A SHOWER Filed Nov. 29, 1965 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 FIGJ INVENTOR JOHN W. MOORE ATTORNEY July 2, 1968 J. w. MOORE 3,390,407

CIRCULAR ENCLOSURE FOR A SHOWER Filed Nov. 29, 1965 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR Joe-m W. Moons ATTORNEY July 2, 1968 J. w. MOORE 3,390,401

CIRCULAR ENCLOSURE FOR A SHOWER Filed Nov. 29, 1965 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 FIG. 1 .53 7' INVENTOR JOHN W. Moons QWR ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,390,407 CIRCULAR ENCLOSURE FOR A SHOWER John W. Moore, St. Louis County, Mo., assignor to Swan Corporation, St. Louis, Mo., a corporation of Missouri Filed Nov. 29, 1965, Ser. No. 510,315 Claims. (Cl. 4-146) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A circular shower enclosure having a base with an up standing annular wall projecting circumferentially upward therefrom, said enclosure having a door member which is pivotally mounted therein allowing optional opening and closing of an opening within said annular wall.

This invention relates in general to shower constructions and, more particularly, to a circular enclosure for a shower.

Heretofore, various efforts have been made to provide a circular compartment for shower baths but the same have incorporated either flexible curtain closures, as suspended from a rod, or door members which have been suspended from track and roller systems, which, understandably, incorporated a multiplicity of parts necessitating relative expense in both construction and in erection.

It is, therefore, an object of the present invention to provide a circular enclosure for showers which incorporates a swingable door adapted for facile movement into, and from, closed condition and which is suspended from but a single point in the overhead.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a circular enclosure for showers having a transversely arcuate door formed on a center concentric with the enclosure and being adapted for swingable movement by means of a suspension arm pivotally engaged in the overhead construction, thereby obviating the necessity of the heretofore accepted track and roller system, with consequent economy in construction.

It is an additional object of the .present invention to provide a circular enclosure for showers which, together with its door, may be readily molded from durable material having long wearing properties; and being thereby conducive to high volume, low cost, production.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a circular enclosure for showers which has a marked simplicity of parts, being thereby resistant to breakdown; which is simple and reliable in operation; and which is of marked durability.

Other objects and details of the present invention will be apparent from the following description when read in connection with the accompanying drawings (3 sheets), wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a front view of an enclosure for a shower constructed in accordance with and embodying the present invention, with the door in closed position. 7

FIGURE 2 is a top view of the enclosure.

FIGURE 3 is a bottom view of the enclosure.

FIGURE 4 is a horizontal transverse sectional view taken on the line 4-4 of FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 5 is a horizontal transverse sectional view taken on the line 5-5 of FIGURE 1. 7

FIGURE 6 is a vertical transverse sectional view taken on the line 6-6 of FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 7 is a horizontal transverse sectional view taken substantially on the line 55 of FIGURE 1 showing another form of door constructed in accordance with and embodying the present invention.

FIGURE 8 is a fragmentary vertical transverse sectional view taken substantially on the line 6--6 of FIG- URE l, but showing the door illustrated in FIGURE 7.

Referring now by reference characters to the drawings which illustrate practical embodiments of the present invention, A generally designates an enclosure for a shower bath comprising a base structure I having a circular dished-shape floor plate 2 which is centrally provided with a drain opening or outlet 3. The upper surface of floor late 2 may be suitably provided with friction-producing material, as indicated at f, to render the same substantially slip-proof. Projecting upwardly from the periphery of floor plate 2 is a rim 4 of sufficient height to contain and confine any accumulated water against undesirable flow into adjacent areas. Integrally formed with base structure 1 and projecting radially outwardly from the upper end of rim 4, throughout its entire extent, is a horizontally extending shoulder 5 which, in turn, at its outer end is integral with a short upstanding flange or skirt 6. Formed on shoulder 5 for projection from the upper inner edge portion thereof spacedly thereabout is a plurality of short block-like detents 7 for purposes presently appearing.

Supported at its lower end upon shoulder 5 is an arcuate, upstanding, wall 8, the lower outer portion of which abuts snuggly against the adjacent inner face of flange 6 to which, for purposes of rigidification, if desired, it may be secured by suitable cementious materials or other attaching mean-s. Said wall 8 is provided with an opening 9 which may be of any selected extent, but for purposes of illustration, is shown herein as approximating an arc of degrees with wall 8 thus describing, in cross section, an arc of approximately 270 degrees; the transverse extent of said opening 9 being determined by ease of ingress into, and egress from shower closure A. At its upper end, wall 8 is surmounted by a circular overhead structure 10 incorporating a top, preferably flat, plate 11 which is continuous at its edges with a depending skirt 12 having formed therein a shoulder 13, which latter abuts on its under surface against the upper edge of side wall 8 and with the lower portion of skirt 13 embracing the adjacent upper portion of said wall 8. Thus, base structure 1, side wall 8, and overhead structure 10 cooperate to provide an integrated enclosure with snug joints. Each of said members is preferably fabricated by molding from suitable materials such as, for instance, the polyester resins incorporating reinforcing agents for producing a rigid, non-reactive, and exceedingly durable material of construction.

Provided for closure of wall opening 9 is a door member 14 which is transversely arcuated, being formed upon a center concentric with wall 8 but upon a relatively slightly reduced radius for reception within wall 8, with its outer face in close proximity to the inner face thereof. Door 14 may be formed of the same molded material as the other components of enclosure A or, if desired, may incorporate a transparent window, as indicated at 15, which at its edges is received within a cast frame 16. Door 14 on its lower edge rests upon shoulder 5, with its upper end terminating spacedly below the plane of top plate 11. Secured, as by rivets or the like, to the upper, inner portions of door 14, adjacent the proximate side edges thereof, are the lower ends of a pair of suspension arms 17, 17 which, being curvate, project upwardly above door 14 and thence turn rearwardly to a substantially horizontal terminal portion, as indicated at 18. Terminals 13 are integral with a vertically presented sleeve 19. Received within said sleeve 19 is the lower end of a short shaft 20, constituted of a pin projecting through an opening 21 in top wall 11 and being rendered rigid therein by means of retention members 22, 23. Thus, shaft provides an axis of rotation for door 14 as suspension arms 1'7, 17', together with the incorporated sleeve 19, are freely swingable about said shaft 20 through an arc of 360 degrees. Door 14 is provided on its inner surface with a handle 24 (FIGURE 4) so that the use of shower A may readily effect opening and closing of said door by appropriately directed motion, with the said door 14- thus being directed along shoulder 5, detents 7 serving to prevent any untoward radially inward movement of said door 14 which will normally be in non-contactive relation with respect to said detents 7, It will thus be seen that the novel door of enclosure A, together with its suspension system, is of exceeding simplicity, being devoid of the customary roller and track systems, yet providing absolute reliable and efiicient operation and representing a substantial savings in both constructional costs, as well as conducing to longevity of eificient operation.

It will be further seen that door 14 is formed on an arc of greater extent than wall opening 9 so that when in closed relationship to said opening 9 the side portions of said door 14 will overlap the adjacent portions of wall 8 to assure of a snug closure relationship with said wall 3 and thus prevent outward water flow, as from a conventional spray nozzle indicated in phantom lines at 25 fixed on the end of a pipe 25 projecting through an opening in wall 8 for connection in customary manner to a remote water source.

The edges of wall 8 defining opening 9 may be embraced by trim members as formed from suitable sheet material which incorporate projecting portions 27 for masking relationship with respect to uprights 28 for integrating the enclosure A within the adjacent room structure.

Referring now to FIGURES 7 and 8, A represents a shower enclosure having a base construction (now shown), side wall 8 with opening 9, overhead structure 10', and door 14', all of which are of substantially identical construction to the corresponding elements of enclosure A hereinabove described. Fixed to the central upper portion of door 14 on its inner surface is the lower end of a curvate suspension arm 29 which projects upwardly and thence inwardly having at its inner or rearward end an integrally formed eyelet 30 for extension therethrough of a shaft 20, substantially structurally identical with shaft 20 of enclosure A hereinabove set forth. Mounted upon said shaft 20' below overhead structure 14), above and below eyelet 36, are spacer members 31, 32, respectively, for preventing undesired vertical shifting of arm Zfi. At its lower end, arm 29 is substantially widened, as at 33, to provide an arcuate mounting plate 34 conforming to the curvature of door 14' and with rivets or like members, as shown at 35, securing said plate 34 to door 14' at spaced-apart points to assure of a firm, balanced engagement with door 14'. Door 14', together with its related suspension system, operates in the same manner as door 14 in enclosure A, but embodies but a single arm so that the same may be produced at less cost than that incorporating the pair of arms 17, 117, in enclosure A.

It should be understood that changes and modifications in the formation, construction, and arrangement and combination of the several parts of the circular enclosure for a shower may be made and substituted for these herein shown and described without departing from the nature and principle of my invention.

Having thus described my invention, what I desire to obtain by Letters Patent is:

1. An enclosure for a shower comprising a base structure, an annular wall supported upon said base structure and projecting upwardly therefrom, an overhead member overlying the upper end of said wall, said wall having a vertically extending opening therein, a door member provided for optional closure of said opening, means pivotally connecting the upper end of said door member to said overhead member for swingable movement of said door between open and closed condition, said connecting means comprising at least one suspension arm, said arm being curvate and connected at its lower end to said door, a shaft fixed in said overhead member, and means provided on the upper end of said arm for engaging said shaft.

2. An enclosure for a shower comprising a base structure, an annular wall supported upon said base structure and projecting upwardly therefrom, an overhead member overlying the upper end of said wall and extending radially inwardly thereof, said wall having a vertically extending opening therein, a door member provided for optional closure of said opening, means pivotally connecting the upper end of said door member to said overhead member for swingable movement of said door between open and closed condition, said connecting means comprising at least one suspension arm, said arm being connected at one end to said door and at its other end to said overhead member at a point radially inwardly of said wall, and means for effecting rotation of said arm about its point of connection to said overhead member.

3. An enclosure for a shower comprising a base structure, an annular wall supported on said base structure and projecting upwardly therefrom, an overhead member overlying the upper end of said wall, said wall having a vertically extending opening therein, a door member provided for optional closure of said opening, means pivotally connecting the upper end of said door member to said overhead member for swingable movement of said door member between open and closed condition, said connecting means comprising at least one curvate suspension arm, said arm being secured at its lower end to the upper inner portion of said door, said arm curving upwardly and rearwardly of its lower end to a substantially horizontal terminal rearward end and having an opening at its inner end, a shaft fixed in said overhead member and depending therefrom for extension through said suspension arm opening whereby the said door may be swung about the axis of said shaft.

4. An enclosure for a shower comprising a base structure, an annular wall supported upon said base structure and projecting upwardly therefrom, an overhead member overlying the upper end of said wall, said wall having a vertically extending opening therein, a door member provided for optional closure of said opening, means pivotally connecting the upper end of said door memher to said overhead member for swingable movement of said door between open and closed condition, said connecting means comprising a pair of curvate suspension arms, said arms being secured at their lower ends to the upper side inner portions of said door, each of said arms projecting upwardly and thence rearwardly from their lower ends for meeting at their upper ends, there being integral with the inner ends of said arms a sleeve member, a shaft fixed in said overhead and depending therefrom, said shaft being received within said sleeve whereby said door may be swung about the axis of said shaft.

5. An enclosure for a shower comprising a base structure having an annular, horizontally presented shoulder, a wall of circular cross section being supported upon a. portion of said shoulder and being in upstanding relationship thereto, said wall having a vertically extending opening provided therein, an overhead member provided in overlying relation to the upper end of said wall,

a transversely arcuated door being presented inwardly of said wall and formed upon a center substantially con-- centric with said wall but upon a relatively reduced radius whereby the outer face of said door will be in immediate proximity to the inner face of said wall, the transverse extent of said door being greater than that of said opening so that when said door is in closed condition the marginal portions of said door will overlap the portions of said wall adjacent said opening, the lower end of said door being supported upon said base member flange for slideable movement thereon, detent members provided on said shoulder spacedly throughout its extent for preventing untoward radially inwardly displacement of the lower end of said door, at least one curvate suspension arm engaged at its lower end to the upper inner portion of said door, said arm projecting above said door and thence inwardly beneath said overhead,member, said suspension arm having an opening provided at its inner end, a shaft fixed in said overhead member and depending therefrom for extension through said suspension arm opening whereby the said door will be swingable about the axis of said shaft.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 425,083 4/1890 Nutting et a1. 4-9 2,394,667 2/ 1946 Bailey 4-148 2,518,060 8/1950 Pickles 4146 3,060,453 10/1962 Swan 4-146 FOREIGN PATENTS 1,248,506 11/ 1960 France. 1,350,942 12/1963 France.

LAVERNE D. GEIGER, Primary Examiner.

HENRY K. ARTIS, Assistant Examiner. 

